Water service device



Patented Jan. 12, 1954 WATER SERVICE DEVICE James W. McGarry,

Cincinnati, and Benjamin W. Wickemeier, Hamilton County,

Ohio, assignors to Railroad Products Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 9, 1949, Serial No. 80,392

1 Claim.

This invention relates to hydrants and more particularly relates to hydrants which, because of exposure to freezing temperatures, require drainage of the riser water after each use to avoid freezing of water in the risers. This application is concerned with a hydrant having a construction of the type generally shown in the co-pending application Serial No. 524,392 filed February 29, 1944 of John T. McGarry, now Patent No. 2,578,143. More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for disposing of riser drainage.

Hydrants of the type used in supplying railroad cars with potable water may be installed in exposed locations in railroad yards where they are subject to freezing weather, and during winter, riser water must be drained from the hydrants to prevent freezing. However, the riser water cannot be discharged directly to a drain or sewer because of the danger of contamination from sewage, and an object of this invention is to provide simple, readily constructed apparatus for removing riser water from a hydrant without danger of contaminating potable Water supplied by the hydrant.

In the aforementioned copending application, apparatus is shown in which riser water is discharged from a riser into a reservoir or accumulator from which the riser drainage water may periodically be removed by means of an aspirator or water jet ejector. The ejector is operated by water supplied from a water main.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel means for starting the ejector when a certain amount of water has accumulated and stopping the ejector when the accumulated water or a predetermined amount thereof has been removed therefrom.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple float actuated mechanism for starting and stopping the ejector.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, foolproof diaphragm valve controlled by a float operated pilot valve for starting and stopping a jet ejector of this type.

A further object of this invention is to provide a diaphragm-type valve adapted to control the supply of water to a jet ejector and a float operated pilot valve adapted to control the pressures acting on opposite sides of the diaphragm to thereby either open or close the diaphragm valve.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved diaphragm-type valve and means for controlling a diaphragm-type valve.

The above and other objects and features of 2 the invention will in part be apparent and in part be obvious from the following detailed description of the invention as illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of a hydrant including riser drainage discharge apparatus constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in section taken along a line IIII Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken along a line III-III in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken along a line IV-IV in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1, a riser casing for a pedestaltype hydrant is shown at [0. Casing 10 extends upwardly from a reservoir l2. The reservoir l2 extends only a short distance above ground level or platform level, indicated at l3, while the major portion of the reservoir extends below level l3, the lower part of the reservoir assembly being buried at a suificient depth to prevent freezing. The reservoir assembly includes mechanism for operating the hydrant, which mechanism. is disposed in the lower part of the reservoir below levels to which frost can penetrate. A water supply main l4 feeds potable water into the hydrant structure. The supply main feeds a T-fitting l6 from the side of the reservoir. Fitting I6 is within the reservoir l2 but spaced above the bottom thereof a predetermined distance. One opening of T-fitting I6 is connected to a valve body I! which contains a slidable valve plug or disc I8, the valve plug being normally held against a valve seat 19 to prevent the fiow of water upwardly through the hydrant structure. The other opening of the T-fitting l6 communicates with an ejector supply line 2|, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Valve body I! and valve plug I8 may be of conventional design. Valve body I! contains a lateral drain port 22 which is uncovered when the valve plug is seated. A riser 23 communicates with valve body I! and extends upwardly therefrom. Drain port 22 permits water in riser 23 to drain into reservoir l2 when valve plug [8 is seated so that water may not stand and freeze inside riser 23. However, when valve plug 18 is moved upwardly to permit flow of water into riser 23, the valve plug covers drain port 22. Riser 23 conveys water to a hydrant nozzle or spout 24 when the valve is open. Water bypass channels 26 (only one of which is shown) in valve body I! channel water around valve plug I8 and into riser 23 when the valve is open.

The valve Plug l8 may be vertically actuated in any suitable manner. The valve plug is shown fixed to the lower end of an elongated valve stem 21. The upper end of valve stem 21 carries a stem lift rod 28 surrounded by a compression spring 29. Compression spring 29 constantly bears on a flange 3! which forms apart of lift rod 28, to urge the valve plug toward valve seat IS. The rod 28 extends through a hydrant cap 32. An actuating handle 33 is pivoted to stem rod 28 by means of pivot pin 34. The handleincludes a cam 36 which engages the top of hydrant cap 32 when the handle is raised'to draw the valve stem upwardly and unseat-valvezplug i8 permitting water to flow from main .14 through riser:23 to nozzle 24. As shown, nozzle 24 may be equipped with an appropriate coupler .31 which may include a vacuum breaker of check valve '38 (not shown in detail) to prevent drainage of water into the reservoir [2 from a hose or the like when the valve is closed. Packing .39 about head rod 33 isheld under compression by apacking. gland 40 andspr'ing 29 which constantly bearson pack ing gland 4D.

Nozzle .24 forms apart of a hollow hydrant head casting which is threaded to the upper end of riser tube .23 and fits about casing iii. .A casing plug '4! of rubber or other suitable .material caps .casing It. If desired, ,a suitableprotective hydrant housing (not shown) may fit about hydrant casing Ill.

Each time the hydrant is shut oif following use, water in riser 23 drains throughport 22 into and accumulates in the lower portion of reservoir 12. To avoid excessaccumulation, this riser drainage water is removed from the reservoir when the level of accumulation reaches a predetermined point, by a water ejector indicated generally at 42. The ejector apparatus is controlled by afloat 43 in reservoir 12 which rises and falls with the water level in the reservoir.

Within the reservoir I2 is a suction pipe a l and a riser pipe 45 connected to the suction or intake and the discharge or outlet, respectively, of the ejector 42. Ejector 42 draws water from the bottom .of the reservoir I2 and delivers it to the riser pipe 45 from which it "is discharged through aspout 45' to drain 65d. The lower end of .the suction pipe may be beveled as indicated at 4.6 so that nearly all of the water will be discharged'from the reservoin thus fixingthe 1owermost position of the float.

,Ejector 42 is started and stopped by a diaphragm valve 4'8 which is controlled by .a valve or cook 48. Valve or cook 48 is actuated by float 43 through a link ts and lever 50 secured to the plugj5l of the cock 48.

The ejector and float assembly may be compactly arranged in the reservoir by utilizing the suction pipe 44 as a guide for the float. 'Thus the float may be'provided with a tube 52 at its centerthat extends through the same'from top to bottom along the vertical axis of the float, and of such size that the suction pipe will pass freely through the sleevewithout binding thereon. The float is therefore maintained inits properplace with relation to the cock actuated by-it and may rise and fallfreelywith changes in water level in the reservoir.

The ejector may be or usual design and includes an upwardly directed nozzle or jet 53 in a chamber 53. The jet delivers water at high velocity to "a Venturi fitting'5 i creating avacuum in chamber 53 whereby drainage water from reservoir I2 is drawn. through the suction pipe.

Water is supplied to ejector 42 "frommain it through the T-fitting It and the diaphragm 4 valve 41. Valve 41 comprises a body 54 having a plurality of outlets 55, 56 and 51 respectively, and a diaphragm 58 disposed to close or uncover outlets 56 and 51.

Diaphragm 58 is disposed over a face of the valve body containing the outlets 56 and 51 and clamped at its margin between the body and a housing or cap 59 secured to the body. When the diaphragm is raised oif the outlets 56 and 57 Water flows from the T-fitting [5 through pipe 2 l into the valve body, thence through the outlets 5E and 5lto the ejector 42.

The outlet 51 is provided with a counter-sink .or :recess 6] .in which a ring 62 is disposed and :acts as a .valveseat. Ring 62 is made of a material such as rubber, either natural or synthetic.

We have found that if the diaphragm seats on metal {at {the outlet 51, the diaphragm is likely to be cut and ultimately punctured by the metal edge of the opening. .Ring 62 being of yieldable material prevents cutting and destruction of the diaphragm atthis point.

Cock 48 is threaded into outlet 55 andtheoutlet of the cock is connected by a pipe 533 .to the diaphragm. housing 59. .Plug 5| of the cock hasa way 64 therein disposed to register with the inlet andoutlet of the cock when in the position shown inFig. 13. In this position water is supplied from the supply main to the interior of the diaphragm housing whereby the pressure acts on the diaphragm and closes the outlets 5B and 51. The cock and plug are provided with lateral ways 65 and 56 which register when the plug is turned degrees clockwise from the position shown in Fig. .3, whereby water in the diaphragm housing is discharged to drain and pressure on the diaphragm is relieved. When so relieved, thepressure of the water within valve body 54 lifts the diaphragm 58 against the force of a compression spring 67, and the outlets 56 and 5? are uncovered whereby water is delivered to the ejector for the purpose already described herein. The force exerted by spring 6'! should be such as to ensure seating of the diaphragm on the outlets 56 and 51 when water pressure from the main act on opposite sides thereof.

When the hydrant is in proper operation, drainage water isdischarged from the reservoir l2 through spout 35 each time the float is raised by the water level-t0 the point where the cock plug is turned'QO degrees from the position shown in Fig. 3. If it is observed that no Waste water flows out of-the spout 45' after repeated use of the hydrant, it will be apparent that the water service'ejector device is not functioning properly,

- indicating that repairs or adjustments should be made.

The operation of the water service fixture will be apparent from'the foregoing detailed description and-the drawing.

When water is to be supplied from the fixture, an "appropriate hose may be attached to coupler Bl, after which handle 33 is turned clockwise to a vertical position whereby valve plug it is raised off its seat and water flows upwardly through riser pipe 23 t0 the hose. Wh-en'the-water is to be shutoff, handle 33 is returned to its closed position, see Fig. l. "The water in riser J23 drains 'throug'h drainport 22 into reservoir 12. As the level of water in reservoir l2 buildsup, float-43 is raised. The rising movement of the'flo'at is transmitted through link 49 and lever 50 wherebythe cockplug til is turned. The plug 5| is turned more and moreas thefioat rises with accumulation'of water in the reservoir until finally the'lateral ways 66 "and '65 are in communication withthe diaphragm housing 59 whereby the water therein is drained and the pressure on the diaphragm relieved. When this occurs, water pressure from the main unseats diaphragm 58 and water flows to the ejector. As the water flows through the ejector, water is withdrawn by it and discharged to drain. As the water level falls in the reservoir, the float descends and when in about the position shown in Fig. 1, the plug is in the position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon water at the pressure in the main is admitted to the diaphragm 58 causing it to seat and close outlets 56 and 52'.

The above action is repeated each time the water level rises to a predetermined point in the reservoir. reservoir are kept empty, at least to level below the frost line.

In practice I locate valve body I! at such a distance above the bottom of reservoir [2 that drain port 22 will not be covered by water accumulating in the reservoir.

Having thus described the invention, itwill be apparent to those skilled in this particular art that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing either from the spirit or scope thereof. Therefore what we claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A valve assembly which comprises a metal valve body having an inlet, a control port and an outlet port communicating with said inlet, said valve body having a fiat face surrounding said outlet port, a discharge opening in said face spaced from In this manner the riser pipe and the outlet port, the discharge opening being countersunk, a hollow annular member of rubberlike material in said countersink and having its outer end flush with the flat face of the valve body, a diaphragm housing attached to the valve body and overlying the discharge opening and the outlet port, a diaphragm in the housing disposed to simultaneously cover and uncover said outlet port and said discharge opening, a threeway valve cock having an inlet port connected to the control port of the valve body, an outlet port connected to the diaphragm housing, and a drain port, a plug in said cock movable to a valve open position in which the outlet port of the cock communicates with the drain port and to a valve closed position in which the inlet and outlet ports of the cock are in communication, and a spring in said housing urging the diaphragm into engagement with said fiat face, whereby, when fluid under pressure is supplied to the inlet of the valve body and said plug is moved to valve open position, the pressure deflects the diaphragm off the outlet port of the main valve body and fluid flows therethrough to the discharge opening and when said plug is moved to valve closed position, the forces of fluid pressure and said spring act on said diaphragm to deflect it toward the valve 1 body, whereby the diaphragm seats on the annular member and closes the discharge opening.

JAMES W. McGAR-RY. BENJAMIN W. WICIEMEIER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 137,620 Patterson Apr. 8, 1873 318,185 ,Haydn May 19, 1885 542,702 Christensen July 18,1895 570,727 Gale Nov. 3, 1898 584,799 Thompson June 22, 1897 1,063,468 Pribil June 3, 1913 1,230,972 Woodworth June 26, 1917 1,450,078 Haunz Mar. 27, 1923 1,521,745 Becker Jan. 6, 1925 1,656,214 Masson June 17, 1928 1,800,157 Saunders Apr. 7, 1931 2,235,304 Toussaint Mar. 18, 1941 2,286,713 Burks June 16, 1942 2,360,873 Grove Oct. 24, 1944 2,398,840 Fields Mar. 19, 1948 2,572,175 Mclherson Oct. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,154 Great Britain of 1888 14,413 Great Britain of 1905 18,584 Great Britain of 1899 319,936 Great Britain of 1929 

